Halki seminary

The Laguna Coast Foundation, based in Naxos, will participate in the Halki Summit 2024, which will take place at the Halki Theological School from August 30th to September 1st, organized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Scientists from various countries will attend the Summit to discuss practical solutions to the pressing issue of the climate crisis.

Over 52 years ago Turkey shut down Halki Seminary. Since then, its doors have remained shut. According to a recent report in Karar daily, a Turkish media outlet, Ankara is considering taking steps to reopen the seminary.

Turkish Education Minister, Yusuf Tekin stated on Monday that he would like to see Halki Greek Orthodox seminary open. 

However Tekin clarified that the final decision will be taken by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

Turkey is finally taking steps to reopen the Halki Greek Orthodox seminary, a long-standing point of contention between the two Aegean neighbors since it was closed by the Turkish state in 1971, according to a report in Karar daily on Monday.

His Holiness raised with Mr. Biden the Theological school of Halki

By George Gilson

Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos had a one-hour meeting yesterday afternoon with US President Joe Biden during which the topics of discussion included the re-opening of the patriarchate's Halki Theological Theological Seminary, which was shut down by the Turkish state half a century ago, in 1971, and environmental issues.

Greek and Greek Cypriot nationalists have targeted Archbishop Elpidophoros Lambriniadis, the head of the Greek Orthodox Church in U.S., after he attended the opening ceremony of the Turkish House (Türkevi) in New York City with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar.

Tourism Minister Mehmet Ersoy met with Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos in Istanbul on Saturday and discussed issues affecting the Patriarchate, according to a press release from the Patriarchate.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan thanked Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos for the support and donations of the patriarchate, Greek institutions in the city and donors abroad in the battle against the coronavirus pandemic, during a call on Wednesday.

During the recent meeting between Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Recep Tayyip Erdogan in New York (the first between the two leaders), the Greek prime minister raised the issue of the reopening of the Greek Orthodox theological school on the island of Halki, off Istanbul. The issue is pertinent to religious freedom and bears clear and significant international dimensions.